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What to do if you're struggling to pay your energy bills
Updated 21 March 2023
Energy prices are desperately high, and despite the Government capping a typical bill at an average £2,500 this winter, many people are still struggling. In this guide we walk you step-by-step through the support that's out there.
Step 1: If you're struggling, talk to your supplier ASAP – it HAS to help
If you're falling behind with your energy bills, and finding yourself struggling to pay, the best thing to do is contact your supplier as soon as possible. Under rules from regulator Ofgem, your supplier has to help you – usually by negotiating a payment plan that you can afford.
There are a range of options suppliers could offer if you're struggling, including:
- A full payment plan review
- Affordable debt repayment plans
- Payment breaks (though this won't be right for everyone)
- Payment reductions
- More time to pay
- Access to hardship funds
What help you can get is decided on a case-by-case basis, but importantly, repayment must be based on your ability to pay. So get in touch with your supplier as soon as possible.
Forced prepay meter installations have been paused
If you do fall in to debt on your energy bills, one of the ways suppliers can recover the outstanding amount is to force you to get a prepayment meter installed.
However, regulator Ofgem has recently told energy firms to temporarily stop forced installations of prepayment meters, after reports that some households were being forcibly switched despite being clearly vulnerable. Ofgem is asking those who've had a forced prepayment meter installation to share their experiences via this Citizens Advice survey, to help the regulator understand if suppliers have done any wrongdoing. A new code of practice is being developed that all energy suppliers must sign up to, before forced prepayment meter installations can resume.
We've more info in our Forced prepayment meters paused news story.
When can suppliers force you to get a prepayment meter?
While suppliers have been told to stop forcibly switching people to prepayment meters right now, normally they are allowed to do so – but only as the last resort to avoid disconnecting you, and it should have explored all other options to recover the debt first.
Once it has, and if you're not vulnerable (if you are, register for the Priority Services Register) and have a smart meter, it can remotely switch you to a smart prepay meter. If you don't have a smart meter, your supplier will need to obtain a court warrant to force you to get a prepay meter.
Suppliers are only allowed to force you to have a prepayment meter for debt if:
- It has taken all reasonable steps to agree payment with you. This could be by offering repayment plans or similar options. If it hasn't, again, it shouldn't install one.
- It is safe, practical and easy for you to use and get to. For example, it shouldn't install one if:
- Your meter is hard to reach or in a shared cupboard you don't have access to
- It would be hard for you to get to a shop to top up the prepayment meter
- You have a physical or mental disability preventing you from being able to use a prepay meter
- You need a continuous supply for health reasons, such as having medical equipment that needs a constant electricity supply
If you prepay for your energy, and you find yourself struggling to top up and facing self-disconnection, there's help available from your supplier – so do contact it as soon as you start to get in trouble. The charity Citizens Advice estimates 3.2 million people in Britain last year ran out of credit on their prepayment meter as they couldn't afford to top up, so make sure you are getting all the support you are entitled to.
Here's what energy firms will do:
- All suppliers offer small amounts of emergency credit. You'll usually get £5 of emergency credit on your gas and electricity meter (though some have increased this in response to the energy crisis), which you can access through your meter. The option to use it usually becomes available when you've little money left on your meter (usually about less than 50p for electricity, or £2 for gas).
How you access it depends on your meter, either by inserting your key/card or clicking a button when the option pops up – your supplier will be able to tell you how it works for your meter. You will need to pay this back when you next top up.
- 'Friendly credit' means you can't be cut off at certain times if your meter runs out. Friendly credit is there to protect you if you start running out of credit when the shops are closed. It means you won't be cut off, and can keep using gas and electricity if you run out of credit during evenings, weekends and bank holidays.
Times can vary by supplier and season, but generally, you won't be cut off between about 6pm and 9am Monday to Saturday, all day Sunday, and on bank holidays. You'll need to pay back anything you've used during this time the next time you top up.
- Additional support credit is available to some if you can't afford to top up. If you can't afford to top up and you're facing self-disconnection through being unable to keep enough money on the meter, you may be able to get additional support credit (or extra support credit). What you can get, how this works and if you're eligible will depend on your supplier, so speak to it as soon as possible.
In general, additional support credit is usually for those in vulnerable situations (such as those of state pension age, or with a disability or long-term medical condition). It's also up to the supplier to assess how much additional credit you'll get and to work with you to come up with a repayment plan, based on your ability to pay.
But even if you're not in a vulnerable situation, your supplier could still help if you're unable to top up. It may still be able to offer support credit, or can review any debts you may be paying off through your meter, or give you access to hardship funds. It's all done on a case-by-case basis, so do get in touch with your supplier as soon as possible.
What's more, regulator Ofgem has strengthened protections for prepayment customers, requiring suppliers to proactively identify and contact customers that have self-disconnected due to being unable to afford to top up. This includes support for repaying any outstanding standing charges.
The Priority Services Register is a free support service operated by energy suppliers and network operators (the firms that own the pipes and wires). It offers a range of services to help people in vulnerable situations, for example, if you've reached state pension age, or you have a long-term medical condition, or have children under five (see full eligibility below).
The help you can get includes:
- Advance notice of planned power cuts. If you rely on energy supply for medical reasons, your network operator will inform you of planned power cuts.
- Priority support in an emergency. Network operators can provide you with heating and cooking facilities during unexpected power cuts.
- Identification and password scheme. To reassure you that energy and network employees are genuine, they can arrange checks such as a particular password or picture card if they need to visit you.
- Nominee schemes. You can nominate someone to receive communications and bills from your supplier.
- Help with prepayment meter access. For example, suppliers could move your meter if you can't access it easily to top up.
- Regular meter reading services. If you can't easily read the meter yourself, or nobody else can.
- Accessible information. For example, account info and bills in large print or Braille.
A dedicated website has been launched to make it easy for anyone to be added to the Priority Services Register. You no longer need to ask your supplier to do this for you. There are several ways you can register, including an online form, by email or calling 0800 169 9970, as well as messaging the PSR via WhatsApp, Facebook or Twitter.
Step 2: Check if you qualify for special short-lived government support
In this section we'll look at the specific, short-lived cost-of-living support that's being made available by the Government.
It's worth having a good rummage around here, as in some cases what help you can access will depend on your specific circumstances. Exactly what you can get depends on factors including the sort of energy meters you have, whether you're on certain benefits, or whether you're a pensioner. Check what you could benefit from:
- Support for almost all households
- On an alternative fuel? You could get an extra £200 to help with energy bills this winter
- Are you in Northern Ireland?
- Support if you're on certain means-tested benefits
- Help if you're a pensioner
- A payment if you're on particular disability benefits
- Funding for some vulnerable households
One of the measures announced back in May 2022, as part of the Government's 'cost of living support' package, was that all households with a domestic electricity meter in England, Scotland and Wales would get a £400 energy grant. Most households should have now received all six payments. If you haven't received any payment yet, contact your electricity supplier.
For most, the grant was automatic, paid by your supplier between October 2022 and March 2023. However, those on non-smart prepayment meters will have to take action to get the money. It'll come as six separate payments – £66 in October and November, then £67 for the remaining four months. How exactly it was paid depended on how you pay for your energy and who your supplier is.
On traditional prepayment? Redeem your vouchers ASAP
If you have a traditional prepayment meter you must claim and redeem your government help vouchers. The £66 or £67 monthly vouchers only last 90 days from the date of issue, and 1.9 million have yet to be redeemed. October, November and some of December's vouchers have now expired, but your supplier can reissue them. You must have redeemed all vouchers by 30 June 2023. See prepay vouchers help for more info.
UPDATE: Live in a park home or pay your landlord directly? The application process for the £400 payment is now open
If you're in a park home or your landlord gets their energy from a commercial contract (rather than a domestic one, and so doesn't get the £400 payment automatically, which they can then pass on), you can apply to receive the discount through the Energy Bills Support Scheme.
Those in England, Scotland or Wales will be able to apply for it through the Government's online portal. Those in Northern Ireland can apply through a separate portal. You'll need an email address and phone number (if you have one) and a UK bank account. You must apply by 31 May 2023.
- If you’re not registered for council tax you’ll need to upload a proof of address (such as a bank statement or tenancy agreement) as part of your application.
- If you live in a care home you’ll also need to upload a care home invoice (that's less than three months old) or an official document from your care home, which includes your name and address, a funding statement and the name and address of your care home.
Your local council will make your payment by bank transfer. Exactly when you'll receive your payment will depend on when you made the application and when it was processed.
If you still haven't received the £200 from your electricity supplier, but expected to, you'll need to apply through a Gov.uk portal, which launched on 6 March. You have until 31 May to apply.
Most households in England, Wales and Scotland that don't use mains gas and use alternative fuels for heating – such as heating oil, LPG or biomass boilers – should have now received an additional £200 to help with energy bills this winter, on top of the £400 from your electricity supplier (check our supplier-by-supplier table for how it was paid. You have a right to request this money into your bank account if it's been credited to your electricity account. See our direct debits help guide for more info on how to get this money paid to you).
However, some households have fallen through the cracks, despite having an electricity supplier and using alternative heating fuels, as there is no central database of homes that use alternative fuels.
If you've not got it, or if you DON'T have a direct relationship with an electricity supplier. You'll need to apply online or by calling 0808 175 3287 (0808 175 3894 in Northern Ireland) by 31 May 2023.
You'll need to provide evidence that you purchased alternative fuels recently, alongside proof of address and you bank account details – see the full list of evidence and information required. You'll then be paid the £200 by your local authority via bank transfer and you should receive an email or letter to confirm this within six weeks of applying.
If you DO have a direct relationship with an electricity company. Most should have been paid the £200 automatically by their supplier, either by email, post, bank refund or credit to your electricity account - energy firms have told us they have now paid this. Make sure you check your bank account or energy account if you don't think you've received your payment yet. If you've not received it, you'll need to apply.
Most households in Northern Ireland should have also received the non-repayable £400 energy bills support grant – but rather than being paid in monthly instalments like the rest of the UK, you'll have got it in one lump sum. On top of this, all households in Northern Ireland get a £200 alternative fuel payment – regardless of what type of heating you use – paid at the same time as the £400. How you received it depends on how you pay your bill:
- If you pay your energy bill by direct debit, you should have got the payment automatically into your bank account between 16 January and 28 February 2023. This means you won't need to contact your supplier to get the cash.
- If you don't pay by direct debit, for example, you pay on receipt of your bill or you prepay, you should have been sent a voucher between 16 January and 28 February 2023. It should come in the post and can be redeemed at any post office, either by depositing it into a bank or credit union, or as cash if available. Vouchers will be valid until 31 March 2023 and can be reissued if lost. See the Northern Ireland energy guide for more details.
- If you don't have a direct relationship with an electricity supplier, you can now apply to get the payment. If you pay for your energy through a landlord, housing manager or site owner, or you live in a park home or houseboat, for example, you'll need to apply to get the £600. The portal to apply opened on 27 February. You should get an email or letter within six weeks of applying, which will confirm if you'll get the payment. You'll need a UK bank account in your name to receive the payment by bank transfer.
Over eight million households in the UK on means-tested benefits will get a £900 cost of living payment in 2023/2024 (up from £650 in 2022). It'll be paid in three instalments:
- £301 – during spring 2023 (this will be paid at some point after the new financial year has begun on 6 April 2023)
- £300 – during autumn 2023
- £299 – during spring 2024 (before the new financial year starts on 6 April 2024)
You'll need to be on one of the following benefits (the Government has yet to confirm if there will be a 'qualifying window', which there was with the previous scheme):
- Child tax credit
- Income-based jobseeker's allowance
- Income-related employment and support allowance
- Income support
- Universal credit
- Working tax credit
- Pension credit
We'll update this guide as soon as we have more info. See our full story on how the Government plans to support households with their energy bills in 2023/24.
The Government says this payment is tax-free, will not count towards the benefit cap, and will not have any impact on existing benefits.
Use our 10-minute benefits check to ensure you're receiving all the support you're entitled to, as up to seven-and-a-half million households are missing out on state help they're eligible for.
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An extra £200 for Welsh energy bill-payers on certain benefits
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The Wales Fuel Support Scheme offers eligible households a one-off £200 cash payment from their local authority to help with paying energy bills this winter – in addition to all the other energy and cost of living support offered by the UK Government.
The payment is available to all eligible households in Wales, regardless of how you pay for your fuel – including direct debit, quarterly payments or off-grid fuel such as heating oil. However, to be eligible, you or your partner must have been receiving a qualifying benefit between 1 September 2022 and 31 January 2023.
If you or your partner don't receive any of the qualifying benefits – see below for a full list – you may still be eligible for the payment if anyone living with you meets all of the following:
- The household is their primary residence
- They're a dependent child or another adult living with the householder
- They receive one of attendance allowance, disability living allowance, personal independence payment, armed forces independence payment, constant attendance allowance or war pension mobility supplement
You'll need to apply to get the grant – applications closed on 28 February 2023. And do note applicants must be responsible for paying the property's energy bills.
If you're struggling to pay for your energy and you're on certain benefits, you may be able to pay directly from your benefit payments instead, under a Government scheme known as Fuel Direct (also known as 'third party deductions'). The scheme lets you arrange to have a small, fixed amount deducted directly from your benefit payments each week to go towards paying off energy debt.
To use the scheme, you need to contact your Jobcentre (or Pension Centre if you are claiming pension credit) and give them details of your supplier and what you owe. Your Jobcentre or Pension Centre will then get in contact with your provider.
How much will be dedicated depends on which benefit scheme the payment is deducted from:
- If you claim universal credit. A fixed rate of 5% of your entitlement can be deducted and paid directly to your supplier for gas and electricity (and water).
- For other benefits. A set amount of £3.85 will be directly deducted each week to pay off the debt you owe, plus an additional amount to cover your ongoing usage. For example, if you use £5 of energy a week, a total of £8.85 will be deducted directly from your benefits.
Be aware though, if the set amount to cover your debt and the additional sum for your ongoing usage comes to less than 25% of your total benefits, the payment to your supplier can be set up without your permission. So be sure before you apply. You can use the Fuel Direct scheme with income-based jobseeker's allowance, employment and support allowance, income support and pension credit.
Every UK household with someone over state pension age (aged 66 or above) is entitled to help towards their energy costs under the Government's Winter Fuel Payment scheme. It's usually between £100 and £300, but in 2022, the cost of living support package included a one-off top-up of £300 per household to the winter fuel payment, so some got up to £600.
The Government has announced that pensioners will also get the extra £300 this year. It's likely to be paid as part of the winter fuel payment at the end of 2023. We don't yet have the full qualifying dates for 2023, but we'll update this guide as soon as we do.
About six million people across the UK on certain disability benefits will receive an automatic one-off payment of £150 in summer 2023. It's designed to help towards the cost of specialist equipment and food, and increased transport costs.
We don't yet have exact dates or the full eligibility details for the scheme for 2023/24, but you'll need to be on one of the following benefits – the Government has yet to confirm if there will be a 'qualifying window' when you must have been on these benefits:
- Armed forces independence payment
- Attendance allowance
- Constant attendance allowance
- Disability living allowance
- Personal independence payment
- Scottish disability benefits
- War pensioners' mobility supplement
The Government says these payments will not count towards the benefit cap, and will not have any impact on existing benefits.
All those eligible in 2022 should have now automatically received the £150 one-off payment. Payments were made in September and October 2022 and should have been paid straight into the account you currently receive your benefits into.
For more ways to save cash if you have a disability, see our 31 MoneySaving tips for disabled people.
The Government has announced that an extra £1 billion will be added to the Household Support Fund in April 2023. See our full story on how the Government plans to support households with their energy bills next year.
Under the Household Support Fund, councils in England have access to a pool of £1 billion in funding to help those most in need.
Local authorities could spend the cash between April and September 2022, to support the most vulnerable with essentials during the UK's ongoing recovery from the pandemic. And the Government has extended this scheme, making another £500 million available between October 2022 and March 2023.
The fund is aimed at providing small grants to meet daily needs, such as energy bills, as well as other utilities, housing costs, food and other essentials.
Eligibility varies, as it's up to councils to decide, but generally the grant is for vulnerable households, and those in most need of support. To find out what your council offers and whether you might qualify for support, and to apply, contact your council as soon as you can, as funding could run out at any time.
Step 3: Find out how energy firms and others may be able to help you
Here we'll talk you through the existing support that's out there from energy firms and other groups, including some of the main energy schemes that you can tap into for help. You'll find info on the following:
Big energy firms have charitable trusts and funds that can help if you're in debt and struggling to repay.
With these providers you'll usually need to be a customer of the firm to apply, but British Gas offers help to non-customers as well. The application process for this help is fairly rigorous (see charities that can help with the process). You usually need to have spoken to a debt adviser before applying, complete a full income and expenditure budget sheet, provide proof of your income, give details on how your arrears have built up, and say how the grant will help you.
Exact eligibility requirements vary – some say you need to be in receipt of certain benefits, for example – but those with the greatest need are prioritised on a case-by-case basis. It can take several weeks to process your claim and funds are limited, so act now.
Hardship grants offered by energy suppliers – and how to apply
| Supplier scheme | Key eligibility criteria | How much you could get | How to apply |
Open to customers of ALL suppliers |
|||
 British Gas Energy Trust Individuals and Families Fund |
- In or facing fuel poverty - Can't have had British Gas grant in past two years - See full info on the British Gas website |
Up to £1,500 | Via the British Gas website |
Open to customers of the named suppliers ONLY |
|||
 EDF Energy Customer Support Fund |
- Experiencing hardship, or struggling to manage energy debt - See full info on the EDF website |
No set limit – depends on your circumstances | Via the 'Let's Talk' web form or by calling 0800 269 450 (1) |
 E.on Next Energy Fund Also open to customers of: Sainsbury's Energy |
- No set criteria, but based on needs and ability to pay energy bills - See full info on the E.on Next website |
No set limit – depends on your circumstances | Via the 'Let's Talk' web form (1) |
 Octopus Energy Octo Assist Fund Also open to customers of: Affect Energy, Co-operative Energy, Ebico Living, London Power, M&S Energy |
- No specific eligibility criteria - See full info on the Octopus website |
No set limit – depends on your circumstances | Via the Octopus web form (you must be logged into your account) |
TABLE_CELL_STYLE
Ovo Energy Hardship Scheme
|
- Experiencing hardship, or struggling to manage energy debt - See more info on the Ovo website |
Supplier wouldn't confirm | Call Ovo on 0330 303 5063 or use its live chat (online form coming soon) |
 Scottish Power Hardship Fund |
- In receipt of: income support, jobseeker's allowance, pension credit, or employment and support allowance - See full info on the Scottish Power website |
Varies depending on need and funds available | Via Scottish Power's web form or by phone on 0121 285 2595 |
 Shell Energy Helpfund |
- No specific eligibility criteria - See full info on the Shell Energy website |
No set limit – depends on your circumstances | Call Shell on 0330 094 5800 |
 Utility Warehouse Customer Support Scheme (in partnership with charity Citizens Advice) |
- In fuel poverty, or about to go into energy debt or run out of prepay credit - See full info on the Citizens Advice website |
Supplier wouldn't confirm | Call Utility Warehouse on 0333 777 0777 |
CLOSED – not currently accepting applications |
|||
 Bulb Energy Fund |
- In financial difficulty - Live in an area of high fuel poverty - In at least £150 of energy debt - See full info on the Bulb website |
£150 grant or £2,000 debt write-off, and/or an energy efficient appliance | You can't apply right now |
Last updated on 14 February 2023. (1) 'Let's Talk' is part of 'Charis', an organisation that helps support those in utility debt.
As those on prepay are often among the most vulnerable, energy suppliers are offering additional support to these customers this winter. Here's a summary of what each is doing:
- British Gas is giving up to £250 of non-repayable credit to vulnerable customers. It said it will identify and contact those that need it, so you can't apply. It also said it won't remotely switch customers to prepayment meters this winter unless the customer requests it, and it has doubled emergency credit to £10.
- EDF is offering help to tackle debt. It offers support through its 'Helping Hands' campaign, which matches debt repayments, and its 'Fresh Start' campaign, which offers to clear a customer's debt. You can't apply to these schemes – EDF will identify and contact those that need extra support.
- E.on will not collect debt from prepayment customers until the end of March. So prepay customers will only pay for ongoing energy usage.
- Octopus has said its most vulnerable prepay customers get "24/7 monitoring of supply and welfare checks". Octopus added that it's rare for it to switch a customer to a smart prepayment meter due to debt, and it never charges for the installation of one.
- Ovo will not collect debt from prepayment customers until the end of March. So prepay customers will only pay for ongoing energy usage. It also said it won't disconnect anyone this winter and has increased emergency credit from £5 to £15.
- Scottish Power will not collect debt from prepayment customers until the end of March. So prepay customers will only pay for ongoing energy usage. It also said it has paused forced installations of prepayment meters since December. We've asked how long these measures will last and will update this guide when we know more.
- Shell told us it is pausing debt repayments on a "case-by-case basis". Plus it said it won't move customers to prepayment meters during December and January.
- So Energy told us they aren't currently moving customers to prepay to recover debt, but "this may be reviewed in future."
The Warm Home Discount scheme is available to millions of households in the UK. It requires suppliers with more than 50,000 customers to help vulnerable people pay for their energy over winter.
If you've a standard credit meter, the money isn't paid to you – it's a £150 rebate applied to your electricity or gas bill between October and March. If you're on a prepay meter, you'll usually be sent a top-up voucher.
Following changes to how the warm home discount works, the scheme is now different in England and Wales from that in Scotland. If you live in England or Wales, you'll get the discount automatically if you meet the eligibility criteria. In Scotland, you'll only get it automatically if you receive the 'guarantee credit' element of pension.
You can find out full details about eligibility and how to apply in our Warm Home Discount guide.
Under the Cold Weather Payment scheme, older people and those on certain benefits in England and Wales can get a grant to help cover costs when temperatures hit zero degrees or below in their area.
It applies if the average temperature is – or is forecast to be – 0°C or below for seven days in a row between 1 November and 31 March. You get £25 for each seven-day period. It's usually automatic if you get pension credit, or get other benefits including some universal credit recipients and some who get support for mortgage interest. See our full Cold weather payment guide for more info.
Households in Scotland to get £50 regardless of weather conditions this winter
The Scottish Government has announced it is replacing the Cold Weather Payment scheme this year with a new scheme – the Low Income Winter Heating Assistance scheme. Under this new scheme, eligible households will receive a flat £50 each year to help toward winter heating costs.
The payments will be made automatically between February and March each year from 2023, so you don't need to do anything to get it. For 2023, you have to have received one of the qualifying benefits on at least one day between Monday 7 November and Sunday 13 November 2022. You'll get a letter from Social Security Scotland to confirm you'll be getting the £50 payment.
Energy efficiency can seriously cut bills, and there are wads of freebies on offer from energy providers under the Energy Company Obligation scheme. It's all part of their efficiency obligations to people in certain groups.
If you're on certain benefits, you could get free insulation or a grant to replace an old boiler. Our Free insulation & boilers guide has more on what's available, but below there is a taster of what you can get and what it'll save you:
- Boiler replacement or repair. Heating accounts for about 55% of what you spend in a year on energy bills. Depending on your boiler's age, a shiny new efficient one could save you up to £890/year.
- Cavity wall insulation. Most homes built since 1920 have a gap between internal and external walls. Filling the cavity with insulating mineral wool and foam means cold air's kept out, and warm air stays in, which can save an average three-bedroom home up to £690/year.
- Loft insulation. Up to a quarter of your home's heat escapes via the roof, but you can solve this by laying mineral wool under the rafters, saving up to £590/year.
For more advice on energy efficiency and help to find any schemes you are eligible for, try the Government's energy efficiency website, the Energy Saving Trust or Home Energy Scotland.
The Royal British Legion has launched a grant scheme for veterans and their families who are struggling to pay their energy bills. It's offering non-repayable emergency grants to those who have served, or are serving, in the Royal Navy, British Army or Royal Air Force, as well as their families, dependants and carers.
Depending on your circumstances, you could get up to £1,200 (£200 a month for up to six months).
If you're currently getting any means-tested state benefits, such as universal credit, pension credit or income support, you should qualify automatically. Even if you don't get any benefits, you can still apply, as the charity is encouraging anyone struggling financially to do so.
In most cases, you won't be paid in cash. Instead, you'll get one or more of the following, depending on your situation:
- Vouchers to top up your gas or electricity prepayment meter
- A virtual credit card you can use to pay utility bills (restricted to this use)
- Vouchers for food, clothing or household items
- Replacement white goods
You can apply for a grant online or call the Royal British Legion on 0808 802 8080. For more info, see our Royal British Legion's £1,200 grants news story.
With energy prices at an all-time high, it'll now be even more expensive just to keep warm. Living in cold conditions can be dangerous and even deadly, with people with disabilities, elderly people, children, people from ethnic minorities, and low-income households among the most at risk.
We give tips on how to keep warm in our Heat the human guide, but if you're really struggling, local organisations and churches have opened their doors following efforts from councils, organisations and charities wanting to help. See Martin's blog post.
Warm Welcome has a dedicated site to help you find a space in your local community to keep warm. It details location, opening hours and facilities provided via the link below.
Step 4: Find out where to go for free one-on-one advice and wider debt help
There are a number of organisations and charities out there that can provide one-on-one support and advice. We've focused on the main ones that operate nationwide, but there could be more local support offered by regional charities and your local authority too.
All of the organisations below can help with common energy issues and problems, including providing info on your options if you're struggling to pay, the government grants and schemes available, help accessing hardship funds, and general ways to reduce your energy use. Yet some do specialise in certain areas.
Important: Bear in mind that these organisations are very busy right now, and have limited resources – Citizens Advice, for example, says it's seen a 40% uplift year-on-year in people needing support due to energy debt issues. So please be patient and polite.
Energy help and grant specialists
The charities below offer help and advice on most energy bill problems if you're struggling to pay, including help with finding government grants and schemes you might be eligible for, help applying for support through energy suppliers' charitable trusts, and help with complaints.
- National Energy Action (NEA). The NEA is a national fuel poverty and energy efficiency charity that offers a free support service known as WASH (Warm and Safe Homes). It provides energy advice to households in England and Wales. You can contact it on 0800 304 7159, or fill in an online form.
It offers advice on income maximisation, energy billing, fuel debt, energy efficiency and trust fund applications.
Due to the current crisis, the charity is very busy, which is why MSE founder Martin Lewis announced funded £100,000 for it to set up a webchat service to help more people. The NEA launched this webchat service in April 2022.
- Home Energy Scotland. A non-profit organisation backed by the Scottish Government that offers free, practical advice and info on energy in Scotland. You can call it on 0808 808 2282 or contact it online.
It says as well as offering impartial advice on energy saving and reducing bills, it'll check your eligibility for funding options including Scottish Government grants and interest-free loans.
- NI Energy Advice. This service offers impartial energy advice for those in Northern Ireland.
You can contact it via its online form or by calling 0800 111 4455.
If you're struggling with more than just your energy bills
While the organisations below offer help for all types of energy problems, their main aim is helping with budgeting and debt. So if you find yourself in energy arrears, or your problems stretch beyond energy, these might be best.
- Citizens Advice. If you're in England or Wales, you can speak to a trained adviser on 0808 223 1133 or fill in an online form and they'll respond by email. If you're in Scotland, you'll need to speak to your local Citizens Advice Bureau.
It says it can help with most energy problems and it can also refer you to its extra help unit – which can provide dedicated support to people in vulnerable situations to resolve problems with energy firms.
- StepChange. A charity that provides free debt advice to people in England, Scotland and Wales. You can contact it on 0800 138 1111 or get online debt advice.
It can work with you to develop a personalised plan to make repayments, set up and manage a debt management plan for you, or even help with ways to write off debts if you're unable to pay.
- MoneyHelper. Sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions, it provides free, impartial and confidential money guidance to anyone in the UK. You can contact it on 0800 138 7777, or via webchat, email or WhatsApp.
As well as personalised advice and guidance on money issues, including energy bills and how to prioritise debt, it can help you find a free and confidential debt adviser in your area.
- National Debt Line. A debt charity that gives free independent advice to people in England, Scotland and Wales. You can talk to it via webchat or by calling 0808 808 4000.
It has a free budget tool and can help you work out a debt management plan.
Specialist help for older people
While older people can use the services above, Age UK can offer more specialised support.
- Age UK. A leading charity, it says it can help any older person or those entitled to claim benefits. You can contact it on 0800 055 6112 (0800 124 4222 in Scotland), or via webchat and email.
Age UK is urging older people to contact it before turning their heating off or down. It says it can check if people are receiving all the support available to them, point people towards more help for heating their home, and provide guidance on billing, meters and complaints.
Specialist energy support for disabled people
If you have a disability, as well as the organisations above, you can also get additional help from Scope.
- Scope. A disability equality charity, it offers free energy advice to disabled people in England and Wales. You can contact it on 0808 800 3333 or email it.
Through its disability energy support scheme, it can offer advice on a range of issues, including managing debt, efficiency, accessing benefits, grants and trusts, access to fuel vouchers, understanding bills and support with registering for the Priority Services Register.
- Disability Information Scotland. If you live in Scotland, Disability Information Scotland can provide similar help. You can contact it on 0300 323 9961 or email it.
For more generalised help if you're struggling with debt, see our full Debt help guide.
Community support groups
For a lot of people, a place to talk to others in similar situations and share ideas is really important, which is why community support groups on social media are thriving. While we can't vouch for every piece of information, these groups often have knowledgeable users – some with industry experience – sharing information, so can be very useful.
- Energy Support and Advice UK. This Facebook group, launched in 2020, is one of the most active, with over 100,000 members sharing advice and tips.
Step 5: Know your rights
It's crucial that you're aware of your rights at this difficult time, especially around some really serious issues such as having your energy supply cut off, and being able to get a breather from your debts. Find full info on:
The Government's breathing space scheme – officially known as the Debt Respite Scheme – can relieve some of the pressures and stress of being in debt.
If you pass eligibility, your creditors are informed and must stop collection or enforcement activity, and won't be able to add interest or fees to your debt for up to 60 days.
Debt charity StepChange has full info on eligibility, and can take you through the application process.
There are very strict rules for disconnection and suppliers very rarely disconnect people due to debt.
Firms must take all reasonable steps to avoid disconnecting an energy supply for debt, and it should always be a last resort. Suppliers cannot disconnect you if you:
- Owe a debt to a previous supplier
- Are bankrupt and the energy debt is from before you were bankrupt
- Owe a debt for a service or appliance from a supplier, and not for your gas or electricity usage
What's more, if it's during winter (between October and March), you can't be disconnected if you have reached state pension age and live on your own, or live with children under the age of 18.
Most suppliers have also voluntarily agreed to never disconnect you at any time of year if you have children under the age of six, are disabled, have long-term health problems or have severe financial problems. They also won't disconnect you during winter if you have children under the age of 16.
If you are struggling with your bills and you find your provider won't help, or you experience any of the other common problems faced by energy customers, such as incorrect bills, switching issues, direct debits being too high, refund delays and more, then complain.
Remember to try calling your provider to sort the issue first, but if not then you can use free complaints tool Resolver. The tool helps you manage your complaint, and if the company doesn't play ball, it also helps you escalate your complaint to the free Energy Ombudsman.
Suppliers will sometimes use prepayment meters as a way of recovering debts – but only as a last resort. However, regulator Ofgem has told energy firms to stop forced installations of prepayment meters until it has reviewed how it can better protect customers and reduce the need for prepayment meters to be installed or switched to remotely.
Ofgem is asking those who've recently had a prepayment meter installed without their consent, to share their experiences via this Citizens Advice survey.
We've more info on who can and can't have a forced prepayment meter installation and under what circumstances.
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Step 6: Read our energy cost-cutting tips
There are small changes you can make that can have a huge impact on your energy use and how much you end up paying, which we go into here, as well as more ways to reduce other household bills, including:
Most can't save any other way, so using less can really pay off and is simple to do (unless you're already using the minimum, in which case, read on).
Turn down the thermostat and wear jumpers, turn lights off when you leave a room, take shorter showers, use energy-saving light bulbs and don't leave electrical goods on standby.
For more info, see our top energy-saving tips, or read the MSE Forum's Energy Saving Hunt.
According to experts at the Energy Saving Trust, the idea it's cheaper to leave the heating on low all day is a myth. They're clear that having the heating on only when you need it is, in the long run, the best way to save energy and therefore money. (A timer's best, as your thermostat turns your heating on and off to keep your home at the temperature you set.)
For full info and answers to other energy-saving myths, see our full Energy mythbusting guide.
Don't rely on your energy provider's estimate, as these are often way out. If it's underbilling you, you'll have a big whack to pay when your supplier receives your actual meter reading. If it's overbilling, then it's unfairly got your cash.
If your direct debit is way off kilter, call up and ask for it to be changed. You have a range of rights to ensure it's correct. See our Energy direct debits guide for full help.
Smart meters can help stop this as they send meter readings automatically to your supplier, so you only pay for what you use. See our Smart meters guide for more.
Paying by monthly direct debit can cut bills by about £100 each year on average, as companies are sure you won't default and they earn interest on any overpayments. So if you can do this, go for it.
See our Energy direct debits guide for full help.
Check your bills NOW as you could save £100s on broadband, mobiles, fuel, food and more by systematically working through your finances to ensure you've the best deal on everything.
This could really help mitigate the pain of the energy price hikes, with many people saving £1,000s over the year. We've full help in our Money makeover guide.
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